MFT Tops and their versatility

[smartcarpie]

Found these pictures while looking for some of my old van.

A while back I saw how member AlanM had mounted an mft top next to a Dewalt chop saw, and maybe someone else here had used the DW stand as a base for MFT tops. So I went with that.

I do own a Kapex and UG setup, and a Kapex MFT. Generally the Kapex lives in the shop mounted to a bench about 24' long with Kreg stop wings and drawers underneath. For a big enough job I will pull the bolts and put it on the UG to roll to a job. BUT, much of the time my little 7.5" Makita can do what I need and only weighs 28 lbs. even though the Kapex rolls there are many homes I work in that I refuse to roll a hand truck up finished stairs, (and I find the UG hard on my back to roll up a stair anyways)and space can be tight so I require versatility.

So I started with three MFT 1080 replacement tops (cause they were cheaper). I had a set of Dewalt horses and a saw stand, and bought three additional sets of mounting brackets. All three tops have the brackets installed as does the Makita saw.

So I have two "extra" MFTs now for quick work tables. The shims underneath are ripped to make them the same height as the factory tables.

I made up some risers from MDF and threaded rod connectors (thanks Jerry Work) so that when a table top is mounted on the DW saw stand next to the Makita the risers are level with the saw deck. Great for clamping too.

I made up a left hand wing for the saw so the MFT top can serve as right side out feed and now I have a work surface (think trimming a cabinet panel with the TS55) handy. If space is tight or stock is short I can put the saw to the right of the MFT top and just use that for support.

In conjunction with the two MFT 3 tables in the shop I can have a huge work surface if needed or several separate ones.  (Stacking parts here, sanding here, extra tools here, actually working here...)

I find the MDF risers travel with me a lot as I can use them as a sacrificial cutting surface, and the increased height is great for my lower back.

If some one wants to try using an mft or wants a "beater" for outside work, this solution could be viable and more cost effective.

Sorry for the long write up.

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[mazmes]

Very nicely done. I took a little different approach and went with Alan M inspired design. Since photos were taken I now use 2 mft replacement tops and still have room for mitre saw with stand extended.

 

[hitandruntz]

I really like what you have done there. Very creative. But how steardy are the tops?
I'm familiar with the horses (very steardy) and the yellow brackets are strong as well, but if you were to lay into something on the outer edges of the table, how does it compare to the mft?

 

[mazmes]

I really like what you have done there. Very creative. But how steardy are the tops?
I'm familiar with the horses (very steardy) and the yellow brackets are strong as well, but if you were to lay into something on the outer edges of the table, how does it compare to the mft?

With both mft tops attached by 80/20 10 series track and sitting on Lee Valley high friction pads I have had no issues. It would be possible to attach the top using the m5 thread inserts to the aluminum supports.

 

[hitandruntz]

Oh, dang, they are just sitting  on 80/20 with high friction  pads. Thats pretty cool. Im not sure if i would do it that way. I would definitely  feel safer if it were bolted  down.  on installs ill throw large finished pieces like mantles with the legs attached  and do my scribes. Usually  its clamped right up to t he outer edges of the table. Im sure it would be fine 99% of  he time  but im worried  about someone  else coming by and doing something or bumping it. But i think i might start with your idea and if it doesnt feel safe then ill throw some bolts on there.

 

[smartcarpie]

mazmes-

Pretty smart with the high friction material.  I will say that actually clipping the brackets attached to the MFT top onto the horse top can be awkward at times.  Yours looks good for even more versatility.  (Different table top sizes maybe tailored to the job).

Hauswerks- 

As far as stability, at the end of the day no matter how you attach the brackets to the top, the horse top is only 4 or five inches wide and thin aluminum, so there will always be some flex there, and it is magnified by a wider surface.

That being said I have built quite a few things on them, including several heavy sections of preassembled exterior balustrade, large sections of heavy lattice, big box newels, inset door vanity, etc.  They are really useful to extend your space, and sometimes its just damn handy to have a table nearby to keep tools, coffee cup, etc on so you don't have to stoop or put stuff in the mud.

 

[Mismarked]

Smartcarpie:  Thank you for the posts.  I wish you had posted one day earler.    Yesterday, I replaced the old top on my MFT and also built a rolling cabinet for my Dewalt miter saw.  I was wondering what I was going to do with the old MFT top as well as the original Dewalt stand (which I found to be very stable).  The answer was in your photos.  Only problem is that I left the mounting brackets on the miter saw when I matched the height to my systainer carts to use as extensions.  I guess I will find a way to raise the miter saw a couple of inches.  Anyway, great post.

 

[KimCan]

This is my take on the Dewalt stands, I mounted a welko spare top I had, with spacers to match the hight of my MFT and Kapex.
I also mount a Zyliss vice on one end which is very useful. This smal stand works well when space is limited.

 

[smartcarpie]

Mismarked-

Not to fear.  You can buy new sets of mounting brackets, I believe Amazon had them last I checked.  Pretty easy to mount just about anything to them, I've even thought of putting a thickness planer on a set for job site use.

KimCan-

I like it.  Zyliss vise looks great, I'd be curious how you use it.  I have a three inch thick by 16" wide laminated pine bench with dog holes that mounts on Trojan horse legs that is very solid considering it is portable (but heavy).  That has a cast iron face vise mounted for edge work with a handplane.  Great for restoration jobs when we are doing alot of handplaning. 

The small table is truly handy.  I actually own a a kapex MFT3 that has never had the saw on it.  I thought I might return it but its been handy for lots of small site work (bathrooms, etc) and as an overflow bench while working at the double MFT.  I always need more space, our joke is always "any flat surface..." as in its immediately covered in stuff.

 

[Scorpion]

This is my take on the Dewalt stands, I mounted a welko spare top I had, with spacers to match the hight of my MFT and Kapex.
I also mount a Zyliss vice on one end which is very useful. This smal stand works well when space is limited.

Box that top in and it'd be almost exactly like my MFT Horse.  Sides would flatten the top back out.

 

[semenza]

Very nice smartcarpie  [thumbs up]

Actually all of them.

  Welcome to the forum KimCan!  [smile]

Seth

 

[benwheeler]

Thanks all, some great ideas here!

 

[guitar_ed]

Box that top in and it'd be almost exactly like my MFT Horse.  Sides would flatten the top back out.

This is exactly what I want.  MFT on saw horses.

edg

 

[Staniam]

Not as fancy as some of yours but man am I happy with mine. Still not finished as you can see some pencil outlines for more routing but here are a couple pictures of one of two I have.

 

[mazmes]

Not as fancy as some of yours but man am I happy with mine. Still not finished as you can see some pencil outlines for more routing but here are a couple pictures of one of two I have.

Looks very nice to me. Your take on SFSteve MFSlab design? How do you like it, I've been knocking around his design idea but the price of CNC work in my area is to high. DIY makes more sense if the table is worth the effort.

 

[Staniam]

Not as fancy as some of yours but man am I happy with mine. Still not finished as you can see some pencil outlines for more routing but here are a couple pictures of one of two I have.

Looks very nice to me. Your take on SFSteve MFSlab design? How do you like it, I've been knocking around his design idea but the price of CNC work in my area is to high. DIY makes more sense if the table is worth the effort.

I definitely used a couple of his features as inspiration. I'm not quite sure on what I want to do on the front (where the handle is) but I most definitely will be routing out a cup/coffee/beer holding spot where the beer is located haha. That's pretty much essential.

I don't have a Festool router (yet) so I took some extra time to map out the holes then did my best to be as accurate as possible with my plunge router. Its a Bosch Colt and it did much better than I thought. I also make a tiny pilot hole with a 3/4" forstner bit so I knew my plunge was going in the right spot.

 

[surfingwta]

So glad I saw this thread this morning.
I was going to give away a stand like this later this week but now it gives me several ideas for a mobile work bench.

 

[smartcarpie]

Great to see other's ideas on the same subject.  Goes to show that a heavy solid bench isn't always needed, sometimes a flat surface with real portabilty can trump mass and stiffness.  Setting up and breaking down every day one really appreciates light weight.

I don't need much to preassemble crown miters outside of a flat spot. 

Keep 'em comin'.  Hopefully someday I can find pics of my portable hand planing bench.  Works great.

 

[smartcarpie]

Had to install some SOSS hinges for a couple corner cabinets today and figured this out as a helpful arrangement. [attachimg=1]

 

[Epps83]

I tried this with a ryobi miter saw stand and found that if I put any pressure of the edge of the top, the brackets would pry loose.  The dewalt has a very different design for the brackets, does that help? Or can you pry the brackets loose if you push too hard on the edge of near the top.